Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

Another beautiful and enjoyable read, Ara. I am both sad and glad for you. Glad that you found someone so wonderful and sad that you will have time away with different agendas. I suppose when your times coalesce, it will be wondrous.

As usual, the photographs are lovely.

Thanks and be well, m'friend.

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment." Papa-Ken

Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

Originally Posted by demenshea

Another beautiful and enjoyable read, Ara. I am both sad and glad for you. Glad that you found someone so wonderful and sad that you will have time away with different agendas. I suppose when your times coalesce, it will be wondrous.

As usual, the photographs are lovely.

Thanks and be well, m'friend.

+1 Love those pics of the boundless energy of Spirit and the stick... that is one big smile on his face as he races toward the camera! Your words and images always touch me in some way so, in a way, you are with me, all of us, as you continue your Journey. I look forward with relish to seeing where the continuing saga will take you from here.

Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

Originally Posted by demenshea

Another beautiful and enjoyable read, Ara. I am both sad and glad for you. Glad that you found someone so wonderful and sad that you will have time away with different agendas. I suppose when your times coalesce, it will be wondrous.

As usual, the photographs are lovely.

Thanks and be well, m'friend.

Thanks for the kind words. Different agendas... yes, that is about how it sums up. Yet with much respect for each other we cannot abandon our own path totally, we would then very quickly be miserable... "Wondrous" is a good word... some day maybe...

“Seven Candles”. TX

A couple days ago was the Anniversary of my Son's “Lance” seven year passing away. He is part of this Journey, always has been, he is the reason for Spirit and I living on this path we call our “road”. He is the one that keeps us going, that gives me the courage as to not abandon it all, daily, nightly, hourly often, as the alternative as provocative also might be has yet no words spelled within this Life of ours. We have been back at “The Oasis” now for those days, the vast “empty spaces” as I also label this area and besides a bit of riding on the saddle, “Old Faithful” turning her wheels again for a few miles I am only waiting for a better healing and gaining some strength. The beautiful weather here has been a gift, the temperature showed over 80 this afternoon and the nights, well, the blanket of Stars are back again as just walked back from a short stroll and the skies never cease to amaze me. I am a step away to pack up all the camping gear laid out without any order these past couple months and head out with no direction chosen, Spirit is ready, unfortunately my body is not yet. More patience, I keep counting the days after this one evening lighting up “Seven Candles” around a roaring fire with my thoughts in mind.
Soon.

Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

Chasing the clouds in and out of Big Bend Park. TX

Winter was kind to us a couple days ago. It showed it's sunny and warm face following a couple days cooped up with a severe case of cabin fever. Enough was enough. Not quite suppose to be riding, but... while taking it easy the temptation was greater than the threats from the surgeon. An early breakfast in Terlingua and on into the Park, that is Big Bend National Park. It had been a long time for us, short in others considerations I realize, over a month. The roads were bare from traffic as Spring Break is yet not here, the vast empty spaces for as far as one can see and a regained slow pace was the greatest prescription would could have used. For the both of us. It was as I had suddenly regained my composure, as if the balance of it all one more time was just perfect as stopping when we felt like it, eating when hungry, taking photos of nothing and everything, time had finally seemingly stopped it's clock. What a day it was, the photos will prove it. We will be looking for more of those days.

Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

Hot Coffee, 0 Degrees and a good Dog Book... TX

These past days have been a bit rough for us, the temps dropping to as never before, yet, there is no complain when I witness the inches and inches of snow accumulating north of us. We actually had some great days being the most lazy ones we have had in a while. Not much outdoor activities while dressed in more layers than I can count, only to hook up some more propane and more propane, let Spirit run who himself after a few minutes would make the fastest run I have ever seen him do for indoor. A day or two have now past and besides strong winds all is back to normal, coats are put away, even trying to light up a fire to bake some bread and roast a chicken in the Dutch Oven. It is after all Sunday, it was an old custom in Europe a few Centuries ago everyone being able to roast a chicken for dinner. I think tomorrow will see us riding again, maybe River Road on to Presidio, I am sure I will see something I had never seen before, only looked at in the recent past. Enjoy the “winter photos” and my thoughts on this great Book I am now reading.

Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

Great journey !! If ever in Montreal -Canada- or anywhere near , have place to stay in city or country. Summer is best time to visit because they don't make winter tires for bikes yet lol . Thanks for pics and thoughts. Drive safely.

Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

I found something I thought you'd like. My son and daughter-in-law used it on their wedding invitation, the author is unknown.

"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly."

It has become of of my favorite sayings.

Great quote... it is all about "respect"... Thanks!

@Vieux (old) Funk... Thank you... of course we will be coming north... soon!!!

There is a frenzy around here... TX

82 degrees today. Nights are still cool, of course... we are still in winter times, spring felt however when this warm sunshine hovers over us. It has been time for outdoors, cooking again over the fire, bread, whole roasted chicken and much more to come as my Friend Robin and her critters are coming down to visit us, it is after all Valentines Day soon.
For those wondering why I have chosen this Nomadic Life, specially as spring.summer.fall is around the corner and the roads far from us will call us, already have, a new Friend of mine, Becca Baker, has been published at StubbyDog with a very well written article about us, a tribute to Lance, the Journey and of course Spirit. This would be the first time someone does not for some editorial reasons twists the words concurred with me through an interview. I thought I would enter it in my Journal for everyone's benefit of understanding.
In the meantime it s a bit of cleaning around here, or maybe just shuffling the constant dust with live with from here to there...Enjoy the article, I did.

Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

On and around Valentines Day... TX

It has been an unusual week with the shadows of Valentines Day now behind us. Us meaning Robin, Audrey, (Spirit's four legged girl friend), Spirit and Miss Lovey, always the Cool Cat, a great traveler. Neither of us being for quantity, versus quality of time spend, it has been relaxing times with only a couple rides to show off the neighborhood. A ride to the “Swimming Hole”, which might be after the next rain probably be the last time as the road is already half way washed out, one long day through the Park down Maverick road to Santa Helena Canyon and back through Castolon with a jaunt to the Basin and it's Lodge, short stop overs at Sotol Look Out and Mules Ears. This ride is my favorite one expanding the geological diversity of the Park. There is a saying here which goes as such... “When Earth was created all the left overs were dumped in Big Bend”. Much cooking over the fire, sunsets always the back drops of our wonderful evenings, full Moon last night lighting up this vast empty spaces as almost daylight. The weather a bit on the warm side, it hit 104 yesterday in full sun, but will take it over the past teen's we have had here in recent past. More in the Journal...
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.

Re: My dog Spirit and I, homeless on the road...

Thanking my Present Destiny... TX

We have sat here pretty much these past winters. I always thought this is a good space for us, as it is, and yet, lately I have been thinking, even telling some Friends about being over-saturated with the area. Kind of like “been there, done that... too many times”. I have even added, sometimes, we will not be back here next winter. A funny thing happen however the other day while playing guide in Big Bend Park with Robin while she was visiting us for a week or so, as she pointed out this and that, I realized that I had seen nothing yet. For someone such as me who travels the roads with such a slow pace, it was a big surprise. I actually was shocked when I realize I had never noticed this rock formation, or that one, or even some roads foreign to me. It reminded me of my Life when working in Florida and living on a sailboat and yet, never going to the beach.
We don't have long here, I started going the camping gear today, will probably do a dry run into... the Park itself for a few nights and toward Death Valley we will go. Follow the weather, follow the path as always as it is calling us more than ever.
So... some more photos of Big Bend Park in the Journal this time.